romeo and juliet

Who is the Peacekeeper?

Benvolio; he tries to stop fights and helps Romeo calm down.

Why does Friar Lawrence marry Romeo and Juliet? Did it work?

He hopes it will stop the families from fighting, but it doesn’t work—they both die.

Why is Tybalt mad at Romeo? Why won’t Capulet let him fight at the party? What’s the irony?

Tybalt is mad because Romeo crashes the party. Capulet stops him to avoid drama and because Romeo is acting nicely. Irony: Later, Tybalt fights and gets killed, leading to more tragedy.

How does Capulet feel about Juliet marrying Paris? Why does he change?

At first, he says Juliet is too young, but changes his mind believing marriage will make her happy after Tybalt dies.

3 Times Romeo Doesn’t Think

1. Marries Juliet too fast. 2. Kills Tybalt in anger. 3. Kills himself without checking if Juliet is really dead.

2 Times Romeo Thinks First

1. Worries before going to the Capulet party. 2. Talks about how beautiful Juliet looks before he dies.

Why is the Prologue Important?

It tells us what will happen (they die) and builds suspense because we know more than the characters.

What’s a Tragic Hero? How is Romeo one?

An important person (noble) with a flaw (acts too fast) who makes choices leading to death; Romeo fits this.

Character Roles

Romeo - loves Juliet; Juliet - loves Romeo; Mercutio - funny friend; Benvolio - peaceful cousin; Tybalt - angry cousin; Friar Lawrence - marries them; Nurse - helps Juliet; Capulet - Juliet’s dad; Paris - wants to marry Juliet; Prince - tries to keep peace.

Literary Terms

Soliloquy - a speech when a character is alone; Aside - a short comment to the audience; Dramatic Irony - we know something the characters don’t; Monologue - a long speech to others; Comic Relief - funny parts to break tension; Foil - a character that shows the opposite (like Mercutio vs. Romeo).